Superscalar microprocessor employing away prediction structure

Electrical computers and digital processing systems: memory – Storage accessing and control – Hierarchical memories

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Details

395395, 395383, 711204, 711213, G06F 1212, G06F 1210

Patent

active

057520690

ABSTRACT:
A superscalar microprocessor employing a way prediction structure is provided. The way prediction structure predicts a way of an associative cache in which an access will hit, and causes the data bytes from the predicted way to be conveyed as the output of the cache. The typical tag comparisons to the request address are bypassed for data byte selection, causing the access time of the associative cache to be substantially the access time of the direct-mapped way prediction array within the way prediction structure. Also included in the way prediction structure is a way prediction control unit configured to update the way prediction array when an incorrect way prediction is detected. The clock cycle of the superscalar microprocessor including the way prediction structure with its caches may be increased if the cache access time is limiting the clock cycle. Additionally, the associative cache may be retained in the high frequency superscalar microprocessor (which might otherwise employ a direct-mapped cache for access time reasons). Single clock cycle cache access to an associative data cache is maintained for high frequency operation.

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